SKOLOL:
The #Vikings informed kicker/punter Kaare Vedvik they’re waiving him, per source. Vedvik – acquired three weeks ago for a fifth-round pick – could be back on the practice squad. But they’ll roll with Dan Bailey as kicker and Matt Wile as punter.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 31, 2019
Three weeks after trading a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft (with no strings attached, mind you) to acquire place-kicker Kaare Vedvik from the Baltimore Ravens, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reports the Minnesota Vikings are waiving Vedvik.
Ha! And you though the Bears’ kicker search was wild!
Vedvik has long been rumored to be on the trade block and was reportedly someone the Bears pushed to acquire, even being viewed at one point as a favorite and the most aggressive team in the bidding (well, until they weren’t). The Bears wouldn’t go as far as sending an unconditional draft pick to the Ravens to make it happen, which left the Vikings as the winner of the Vedvik sweepstakes. Minnesota’s deal with Baltimore looked to be a steal for a moment because Vedvik had made 12 of 13 kicks in five preseason games over the last two summers with the Ravens, but struggled mightily after the trade. Ouch. That’s not a great time to go through a slump.
This decision leaves the Vikings with Dan Bailey hanging around as their place kicker and Matt Wile returning as their punter. There was a brief time when it was believed that Vedvik could do both. Now he is left without a spot on Minnesota’s season-opening 53-man roster. The Vikings could try to bring Vedvik back and stash him on the practice squad, but it’s a tough break to lose out on draft capital (especially when you’re as up against the cap as they are) for a kicker who can’t even make the cut out of the preseason. You hate to see it. 😈